Waiting near the entrance to the balcony, a security guard approaches me. "Is this gonna be a metal show?" he asks. It’s a fair question, considering most people around us are wearing black. "No...but I think it's going to get very, very loud,” I reply. He looks at me a little weird, as if I've never been to a concert before.
I’ve seen Swans being referred to as the loudest band in the world, or one of. Whether or not that's technically true, this band made me understand that some music can only shine at a deafening volume levels. Of course I listened to irresponsibly loud music before I discovered them, but that’s not what I mean. It feels necessary for Swans in a way it doesn't for most music. Whenever I put them on at somewhat more sensible volume, it never stays that way for too long, and I find myself cranking it up and up and up, compulsively. Tracks with double-digit runtime slowly evolve, adding layer upon layer until becoming so dense that you can only parse them through brute force. Even drone and noise music didn't feel this way to me before Swans.
This was my first chance to see the band live and despite of what I wrote above, I was, somehow, not ready for what was to come. They played seven songs in total, and it was mesmerizing to see them pushing their limits, maintaining that kind of intensity and speed and precision over the course of a roughly 150 minute long performance. Just when I thought that a song reached its sonic peak, it would continue even further, still evolving, louder and denser. I’m certain that this was the most physically demanding concert I’ve ever been to, despite being glued to the same spot, doing absolutely nothing other than listening. A couple of times I had to check that my earplugs were fit right, because I really couldn't tell until I pulled on them slightly, quickly pushing them back in. Explains the number of people I saw leaving the show early on...
I discovered Swans after their re-formation, at the start of the self-described “big sound” era. This tour marked the end of that era, and while the band will continue, “things will be simpler, more intimate.”[src] Even though I didn’t get to hear any of my absolute favorites, I’m really happy that I had the opportunity to see them live in this form, for both the first and the last time. What a special thing. It’s not just this show, though, but all the shows that I’ve been to this year. Frankly, I’m just thankful to be alive and to have my hearing. I’m lucky to live in a significant enough city that bands big and small actually come here, and all I need to do is to take a short tram ride. Bands I’ve been wishing to see for years crossed off a list in a matter of a few months: Animals as Leaders, This Will Destroy You, Sunn O))) (another notoriously loud band) and finally Swans.
I’m just really happy that I got to see them, and excited for all the cool shows in 2026, especially GY!BE.
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